Digital Inclusion for All (DigiConnect4A

We created the DigiConnect solution to connect the 3.5 billion people who aren’t connected to the Internet. DigiConnect focuses on “connect the unconnected”  globally through a) promoting that “every single human should have affordable access to information on the Internet”, b) introducing the freemium model for access, and c) building information spots in underserved areas.  

We introduced the novel concept of Internet-Lite through wireless information-spots (InfoSpots) targeting community involvement and digital empowerment. Internet-Lite fosters the freemium model for access, with free access to information and premium access to broadband services, and presents the basis for a scalable solution for digital services, e.g., education, health, innovation and job creation. Our solution addresses those left out by the traditional business model for access to the Internet.

Internet Lite will change the lives of people through free access to trusted information,  participation in the digital society, and influences knowledge uptake, thus digital literacy.

Traditional business models for access to the Internet address the upper and middle class and leave those behind who do not have the ability to pay and have yet to experience the value of the Internet. While Internet has the ability to dismantle the digital divide, the reality is that the divide becomes bigger with every generation of mobile technology. While 84.2% of households in Europe have Internet access, only 18% of households in Africa have Internet access (ITU 2017). In a country like Tanzania, access to the Internet is almost solely provided through mobile networks. As Rosalyn Mworia, head of Vodacom Foundation pointed out in a meeting in May 2020: “75-80% of all connections in our network are 2G based”. That means, only 20-25% of connections use mobile broadband. 

As ITU pointed out, nearly 90% of young individuals not using the Internet live in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Furthermore, girls and women suffer from the gender divide, as exemplified for Bangladesh: 33% of boys and only 16% of women have a smartphone (GSMA 2020). This gender divide is even stronger given the low subscription to mobile broadband services from women and girls.

  Our solution is a combination of an open-source knowledge portal and information spots at the edge of the network, based on the Internet-Lite concept. The InfoSpots, established as mobile network end-points, carry bandwidth-demanding information like videos and are the most cost-effective solution for constrained environments. With operational costs (OPEX) of less than 20 USD/month, we provide free access to information on the Internet. 

Furthermore, we extend the reach of mobile networks to more than 20 km, as demonstrated in Selela at the Serengeti(LINK). Thus, we also build the base for connecting schools at low OPEX in areas with bad mobile coverage. 

Internet Lite proposes a lightweight Internet protocol, basically being text and pictures(LINK). Internet-Lite enables the Freemium model, with free access to information on the Internet and premium access to bandwidth-demanding content such as video. We enable this Freemium model through a local network control centre at the InfoSpot.  The InfoSpots will enable access for students to local education content and information.

Through our InfoSpots, providing free access to information for every single human being, we remove the challenges of access and devices for underserved societies, including women and girls. To enable Internet access for those not having a smartphone/tablet, we provide 2-3 tablets at the InfoSpots.

Furthermore, we introduce local content at the InfoSpot, as a starting point to build resilient communities with information fitted to the needs in the community. Our point of departure is that the InfoSpot serves as a trusted place, with approved knowledge on e.g. health, education, agriculture. Given that people get acquainted with the value of information through the Internet, they will seek opportunities for enhanced access. Thus, the scale-up from free access to information using Internet Lite, and premium access to broadband services will serve the way to the mobile broadband subscriptions, or the demand for community networks. The paid component of the service makes our solution commercially sustainable.

For examples, schools connected through InfoSpots will have a local school server providing broadband content

Bringing digital inclusion to the disadvantaged people (half of the world population) through InfoSpots builds the knowledge needed and establishes accessibility to digital education, health, job creation, and economic growth even during such a pandemic. With operational costs of as little as 20 USD/month, DigiConnect builds the base for sustainable operations of digital villages. 

Furthermore, the local InfoSpots, hosting bandwidth-intensive content, offers excellent service quality, far better than what's delivered through the mobile network. By providing InfoSpots at 200 locations, we build the blueprint for free access to the digital world in marginalized regions, thus, closing the gap between communities.

The Foundation is working with communities in 11 countries in Africa, deploying InfoSpots in their communities (http://Villages.BasicInternet.no). Our product, the InfoSpot, is currently part of a scale-up in school connectivity in Tanzania and Kenya. Though, the product is seen as the proof-of-concept of the service “free access to information on the Internet”, which needs a much wider base to reach the 3.5 billion unconnected people of the world. Thus, the service is accompanied by the business model addressing freemium access to the Internet.

With our representation in 11 countries, and our communities promoting and proving the service, we need publicity and collaborations to grow further. We also feel the need to reach out to countries outside of Africa as we are deluged with such requests but are unable to scale and expand.

 The innovative approach addressed by DigiConnect is Internet Lite(LINK) enabling free access to information for all, addresses capacity building for digital empowerment as the main objective, executed through the following activities:

• Creating the digital innovation spots

• Establishing content in education, innovation, and adapting it to the specific requirements

• Intervention: providing free access to digital classes through local information spots 

• Measuring the knowledge uptake in selected areas before and after the innovation through the number of classes and courses, students and teachers participate, login, in-depth interviews, as well as analysis of digital usage data. 

Through the digital innovative spots, we address the need for free access to education on digital connectivity, Internet Lite, and digital skills. The freemium model for access is seen as the main intervention counteracting the digital divide, as it provides free access to information for all. Thus, the InfoSpots contribute to innovation (here: educational information, digital skills courses, and learning material). 

The info-spots and free portal are the focus for innovation and creativity, allowing users to discuss and elaborate on learning issues arising from the inclusive access to information on the Internet. The community capabilities of the InfoSpots, allowing each school to be the moderator of the platform, will foster local engagement and empowerment. 

In summary, there are 4 main innovations in our solution: (1) Internet site, (2) Freemium business model, (3) Distributed Knowledge Platform (local, edge and core), and (4) Community engagement.

 Each InfoSpot in rural areas serves typically 1500-2500 people. At the start, we have established about 20 pilots, thus addressing roughly 120.000 people. In 2020 we targeted another 120 InfoSpots in 5 countries in Africa (LINK), as well as 10-15 schools. Thus, through our InfoSpots we served directly roughly 300.000 people.  Now starting in 2021 and for two years later, we are planning to establish 130 InfoSpots as part of our contribution to the European commission project SESA (80 InfoSpots) and collaboration with Dent-Wireless for Kenya School connectivity (50 InfoSpots) what means approximately another 300.000 people.

In total, we expect to reach out to roughly 700.000 people by the end of 2022, and expect to scale up directly to 8 million people by 2025, and indirectly to 400-500 million people.

Our suggested “change of regulations” affects far more people. Only in Ethiopia, the free access (“zero-rated”) to the National Digital Library and health information addresses directly 109 million inhabitants. We work actively with partners to establish “free access to information” in other countries like Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Ghana, Sudan and Kenya. Though, we often need the demonstration of InfoSpots with free access prior to changes in regulations. 

We measure our progress through the number:

# Of InfoSpots in operation

# People potentially being reached 

# Of villages connected

# Of countries having adopted the regulation of free access to health & education

# Of people connecting and using the Internet

#Of focused interviews with the users

# Of countries having adopted the regulation of free access to health & education

The Basic Internet Foundation is formed by experts, driven by the vision that everyone deserves to be part of the digital society. Excluding the Foundation partners, the foundation has three full-time staff, six part-time staff of experts leading the different fields of work.

Prof. Josef Secretary-General at the Basic Internet Foundation and professor at the University of Oslo. He is a specialist in Societal Security, IoT Security and Wireless Networks. He was project leader of the “Digital Inclusion” (DigI) and “Security in IoT” (IoTSec.no) projects involved in several international projects. He has initiated http://UniversityCollaboration.BasicInternet.org for academic collaboration on connecting the unconnected.

Wisam Mansour is Chief Operating Officer at the Foundation.  Her field of research focusing on entrepreneurship in developing economies with a special focus on women entrepreneurship empowering.

Sudhir Dixit is a Senior Fellow and Evangelist at the Basic Internet Foundation in Oslo, Norway, and heads its US operations. He is also associated with the Academy of Finland Flagship Programme called 6G Flagship. He has been a technical editor of IEEE Communications Magazine and is on the editorial boards of IEEE.

Dr. Danica Radovanovic is a digital media specialist and senior researcher at the Basic Internet Foundation in Oslo, Norway. She is a Ph.D. Chevening Scholar, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford.

Brenda Jimris-Rekve is Community Engagement Advisor at the Foundation in Oslo Norway. She has a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).

Iñaki Garitano is a Professor Titular in Electronics and Computer Engineering department and Data Analysis and Cybersecurity group of Mondragon Unibertsitatea, Mondragon University.

Our approach in building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership is based on our common goal. Our core team (see the previous section) consists of 6 people with 6 different nationalities. Our communities are our drivers, and in order to understand the needs of the people at the bottom of the pyramid, we need to get input from people who know what it means to be a refugee. 

As one example, our driver for School Connectivity in Tanzania is Catherine R. Kimambo. Watch her video https://vimeo.com/560893878 to see how she has developed into a leader spreading confidence about “connecting the unconnected”. Furthermore, we are running an exchange program with Ethiopia on higher education, and plan the exchange with community members from Kenya. Last but not least, we are part of the Global Cultural Educational Initiative http://GCEI.net, bringing together schools across the globe.

We are looking for scalability and implementation of the remaining technical issues during the 6 months of personalized support from Solve's community of peers, funders, and experts in advancing our innovative solution for Internet Lite and InfoSpots. 

Given the footprint of “solve through MIT”, we see that our initial pilots get visible for the whole world. Together with MIT and your network, we will make “free access to information on the Internet” the solution to connect the remaining 3.5 billion people. 

We are based at Kjeller in Norway, the place where the Internet reached Europe back in June 1973. About 20 years later, Jon S. von Tetzchner and Geir Ivarsøy established Opera Software, the first browser dedicated to mobile Internet. Another 20 years later, we believe it’s time for the digital inclusion of every single human on Earth. And that is where we invite MIT to join.

The Basic Internet Foundation has the focus on “connecting the unconnected”, with a specific reach to the people at the bottom of the pyramid. Traditional product- or service-based business models are built on return of investment (ROI), or on the triple-bottom-line model. For our novel approach of connecting the unconnected, we need help on 

1. Promoting the freemium business model for access to the Internet,

2. Building public relations both on “connecting the unconnected”, and the suggestions such as Internet Lite, and the Freemium model of access

3. Support in reaching out to partners, to ensure a sustainable financial model for the operation of the Foundation. 

4. Branding and marketing strategy for the solution and the coming expanding phase.

We would like to spread our message “Free access to information”, and through collaborating with MIT Solve which will ensure a high-level international presence.

We create the solution to connect the unconnected 3.5 billion people. Being left out of the Digital Society removes the capabilities for reaching higher levels of the Maslow-pyramid, e.g. meaningful work. DigiConnect focuses on “connect the unconnected” from low-income, rural, suburban within developing economies, though promote that “every single human should have free access to information on the Internet”.

The established infrastructure is cost-effective, with a local info-spot costing less than a mid-size mobile phone (~$400), with operational costs of as little as $20/month, and the ability of the freemium model to provide premium services. 

Local civil communities or individuals can easily adopt this solution and implemented it in their societies with our support. Many organizations such as AHERI, African-Child, BOACSE, UDESO have picked up the connectivity-ideas and established their own local infoSpots.

We improve the uptake of internet connectivity by providing local content in a local server in collaboration with a range of partners, including health, educational, agricultural, government, and other non-profit information free of charge (defined as Digital Public Goods). The education and health packages, as well as the free access to information on the Internet, empower people to experience the value of the Internet and become players in the emerging digital economy. Moreover, it improves economic wellbeing through content such as health, education, agriculture, e-employment, and e-entrepreneurship, which are provided for free. Through internet connectivity, we prepare for business incubation around the InfoSpots and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to become start-ups with capabilities to deploy their services.